Connections: Twist of Fate
by Tanydwr
Summary: ABANDONED see profile . 'One kept, one given away, one created from given's blood.' Chance encounters in London nighttime find Buffy a family she never knew she had. HPBtVS. HHr
1. Chapter 1

Connections: Twist of Fate  
  
Summary: This takes place after 'Chosen' in BtVS and after Harry's school years. Voldemort was defeated at the end of Harry's Seventh-year and he is now a successful Auror, and is still nicknamed the Boy Who Lived (though to his friends it is 'The Boy Who Lived Too Many Times And Became The Man Who Kicked Voldemort's Ass'). Harry Potter timeline is slightly different – Harry was born a year later – 1981. Buffy's birthday has been moved from January (I figured that out because she once said that she's 'Capricorn on the cusp of Aquarius') to later on, but if I tell you I ruin the fic. Starts in 2003. That's all, I think.  
  
Disclaimer: Nope, Buffy and Harry belong to Joss Whedon and Joanne Rowling respectively. Plot's mine. Don't think anyone's done this yet!  
  
In commiseration of my first to sat exams!  
  
Enjoy!  
  
Lol, Tanydwr  
  
Chapter 1  
  
---New Watchers' HQ, London---  
  
"This looks good." Was the Slayer's first comment as they entered the building that was now to serve as the Watchers' Council Headquarters, at least until they figured out a new name.  
  
"I'm glad you approve. Xander got a good amount of work done on here, earned a good commission. The Watchers' Council conveniently left all the money to the last remaining member, which happened to be me." A tall, studious man explained.  
  
"So, what're the facilities?" Another Slayer asked.  
  
"There are several training rooms, the beginnings of libraries, and a considerable number of bedrooms. We should be able to fit all the new Slayers in there while we find more Watchers and sort the council. Also the assignments. There are still places in which demonic activity is high, and we don't want to leave those areas unprotected. The Cleveland Hellmouth is well covered by Willow and Kennedy's presence, we need to search out others. I believe the Coven will help me with that." He explained.  
  
The first Slayer nodded, her blonde hair bouncing around her. "And there're things like kitchens, bathrooms and stuff?"  
  
The man sighed, taking off his re-acquired glasses and polishing them. "Yes. There are two kitchens in the cellar, complete with appliances, and several bathrooms complete with bath and shower."  
  
"Good, girls'd go crazy if they didn't have enough space." The second Slayer – dark haired – grinned.  
  
"Can we come in yet?" A younger girl asked.  
  
"Sure, sure. Girls, go upstairs and pick some bedrooms. This place is huge, so no fights." The blonde ordered.  
  
A troop of at least thirty girls – new Slayers – entered, carrying some luggage, though not a lot. After all, most of them had lost their belongings when Sunnydale became a huge crater. Luckily the bank accounts of some of them were still working. And the last Watcher's was now especially huge.  
  
"Buffy, where am I, or do I have a room with them?" A sixteen-year-old asked.  
  
Buffy – the blonde Slayer – turned to look at her sister. "I don't know, do we get special accommodation, Giles? Being the original Slayers, the Key, the last Watcher and the Handyman." A dark-skinned man shot her a glare. "Not forgetting the ex-High School Principal."  
  
She couldn't help but grin. It seemed Faith – the dark-haired and other original Slayer – had finally found a guy she couldn't just use and lose. Maybe it was the fact that he was about thirty to the other Slayer's twenty- two (A/N: Just making it up, but she did seem to be about the same age as Buffy.). In any case, Buffy had the feeling that Faith – the wild Slayer and ex-con – had actually found someone she could settle down with. The thought made her laugh.  
  
"Yes, come with me." Giles ordered.  
  
He took them up through what appeared to be a conference room of some sort. He pulled open a door hidden by a bookcase and motioned for them to go up. They followed a winding staircase that seemed to have several passages leading off. Finally, at the top, they split.  
  
"Wow." Buffy commented. A long corridor revealed several doors. Each had a name inscribed on them. "How did this happen?"  
  
Giles shrugged. "I don't know. I only noticed the bookcase when you arrived. It appears that some twist of fate or magic placed them here. But follow me, this is the strangest thing."  
  
They walked down the corridor.  
  
One door was inscribed 'Rupert Benjamin Giles'. The next 'Alexander Lavelle Harris'. The third 'Willow Elizabeth Rosenburg'. And then came 'Faith Helen Skye and Robin Jackson Wood'. But the last two doors on the right hand side were different. They read 'Buffy Anne ---' and 'Dawn Marie ---'.  
  
"What, did they forget our surname?" Buffy wanted to know.  
  
"It appears that the name is in question." Giles commented. "But, now, look at the names of the doors on the other side."  
  
They did.  
  
"'Harry James Potter'." Buffy read. "Who the hell is Harry Potter?"  
  
Giles frowned. "I don't know. The name does ring a bell... but I can't place it. Next to him is 'Hermione Arin Granger'. I don't know that name. Or those of..."  
  
"Neville Francis Longbottom and Ginevra Susan Weasley, Remus Murray Lupin, or Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." Buffy recited the last name with amusement. (A/N: Oh, is someone missing? Fancy forgetting... nope, not forgotten. All part of a story. Read on!) "Plus a door without a name. Weird."  
  
"Well, since these do appear to be our rooms, do you think we should enter?" Xander asked. "And how come Willow's got one?"  
  
"Presumably she'll be here at some point." Buffy massaged her head, trying to ward off a headache.  
  
Xander shrugged and turned the doorknob.  
  
The panel of the door melted to show a female face.  
  
"Whoa!" Xander stumbled back.  
  
"Alexander Lavelle Harris?" The woman asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Create a password to keep your door safe." She ordered.  
  
"Oh, right, um, okay..." He began thinking and then whispered it to the woman.  
  
"Acceptable. Each time you enter, you will be required to give a password." The panel returned back to wood.  
  
Xander frowned, then murmured his password ("Matrix."), he flung open his door to be greeted with a strange but welcome site.  
  
The room was lavishly decorated with rich oak, with a theme of navy blue and silver. A four-poster bed dominated one side, while the other side was more of a sitting and working area. A sofa and a couple of armchairs surrounded a fireplace. A desk was tucked in one corner with a high-backed leather chair. A bookcase sat next to it, a couple of books scattered on it. By the bed sat a bedside cabinet. There was a chest of drawers and two doors. One proved to lead into a walk-in wardrobe, the other to an en- suite bathroom.  
  
"I swear this house is magic, Giles. It's the Tardis." Xander commented, after they had all discovered that their own rooms were similar, though there were a few differences.  
  
It was then that a yell from Dawn's room called them all.  
  
"What is it?" Buffy asked, anxious for something to fight.  
  
The girl's almond-shaped, bright green eyes stared in shock. Soon Buffy's identical eyes did the same. On top of Dawn's mantelpiece (fireplace) were several pictures. One of their mother, Joyce Summers.  
  
Xander frowned and re-entered his own room, sure enough there were pictures, the most striking one of Anya, who had died fighting the First's minions.  
  
Buffy discovered the same – ones of all her friends, her mother, even one of Spike, and she couldn't work out whether she loved him or not. It didn't matter now.  
  
Giles returned looking ashen. His picture proved to be that of Jenny Calendar, among others, the only woman he had ever loved. After five years, the pain had still not completely gone.  
  
Robin Wood and Faith's proved to be of Robin's mother and her Watcher, and Faith's mother and her own first Watcher.  
  
"Weird." Buffy commented. "I guess whatever magic there is on this house, it decided to be nice and give us something we lost."  
  
Giles nodded.  
  
"Wonder who all those others are." Robin frowned.  
  
"We'll find out. I've a feeling there's a reason why this house was sold so cheaply." Giles frowned. "Fraction it should have been. Previous tenants claimed there was something wrong with it."  
  
"Well, whatever it is, I like it." Buffy grinned. "Okay, I'm going to go and get acquainted with the British vamps. You coming, Faith?"  
  
"Nuh-uh. Going to stay here and talk to the girls."  
  
"Yeah, I hope they've got the right rooms and everything." Buffy bit her lip.  
  
"I'm sure they have." Giles smiled warmly. "You go."  
  
Buffy headed back into her new room and reappeared with a number of stakes in her hand, storing them in a new jacket.  
  
The original, died-twice (thrice if you count when Warren shot her) Vampire Slayer headed to the end of the corridor. Then stopped.  
  
"Giles, you seen this?" She asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"This."  
  
She pointed to a wooden plaque fixed to the end wall between the windows.  
  
Giles came up and read it aloud.  
  
"One fair as day,  
  
One dark as night.  
  
Brother, sister, with a sister of magic,  
  
Born to be Champions of Light."  
  
Buffy answered everyone's question. "What hell is that supposed to mean?"

###

Running. Chasing. Hunting.  
  
He'd been after such creatures since they joined the army of the Dark Lord. Too many still lived, and London was their favourite area, especially through the parks, where people would come to seek solitude at night. Solitude in the busy city was rare.  
  
It was trapped. Against a fence, with nowhere to hide.  
  
"You cannot defeat me." It snarled.  
  
"So why then, pray tell, were you running?" The hunter asked.  
  
"I... I..."  
  
A blonde burst in, several vampires chasing her.  
  
"I was leading you into a trap." It snarled.  
  
"Bloody hell." The hunter snarled.  
  
He seized a stake from his belt and proceeded to fight the vampire.  
  
It lunged unskilfully. He sidestepped and dealt it a cracking backfist to the head. It recovered quickly and feinted a kick to one side before axe kicking down in a blow that should have broken the human's collarbone. If only he had been there.  
  
Seconds later the stake protruded from the vampire's chest.  
  
The young man saw the blonde and observed that she was spectacularly skilled and strong. He grinned and proceeded onto the other vampires.  
  
The blonde elbowed one vampire in the nose before ducking and rolling the punch of another, dealing it a sharp uppercut into the nose. She turned and kicked another in the head before back-kicking a fourth in the chest. It was mere minutes before her stake found all four. She turned to find that the rest of the vampires were either dead or regrouping, now staring at the young man and woman.  
  
"She is the Slayer." One commented.  
  
"She did not choose her fate. But the Hunter..."  
  
"He chose his destiny."  
  
The young man looked at them crossly. "Oh yes, I just decided that since there was a prophecy, I just had to fulfil it and get loads of people killed in the meantime." He snapped, his voice scathing.  
  
"You do not have to hunt us."  
  
"You are evil. You sided with Tom. You'll do the same should another Dark Lord rise." He retorted.  
  
"Slayer, watch his kind, they are tricky." The vampire advised.  
  
"Since when do vampires give advice about who to trust?" The blonde retorted. "Unless you're ensouled, and there's only one left now and he's in LA, I will not be trusting you."  
  
"My kind is not tricky. We are human, just with a few differences." The young man commented.  
  
"We know of you both." The vampire had to be older than most. It seemed almost wise. "Hunter, Slayer, Key. One kept, one given away, one created from given's blood. True parents known only to one. Who do you think you are?"  
  
"How long have I been the Hunter to you guys?" The young man wanted to know.  
  
"You always have been. The Hunter, a Champion of Light, just as the Slayer. You have not just been given your name, it is who you are." The vampires suddenly disappeared.  
  
"Who are you?" The blonde demanded tartly of her fellow vampire-killer.  
  
"Since you seem to be on alien soil, you answer me first." The young man ordered, his voice low as they moved to where they could have better light. "Who are you?"  
  
"Buffy Summers, Vampire Slayer." She replied, her arms akimbo. She took in the tall, lightly muscular body. He was by no means huge, but every inch seemed to be well-honed muscle. (A/N: Think somewhere in between Spike and Angel). He had messy dark hair and an arched, almost aristocratic nose. His chin was decisive and his mouth set in a firm line. But what startled her were his eyes. They were bright green, almond- shaped – identical to her own. (A/N: Got rid of Harry's glasses – they don't suit this.)  
  
Meanwhile, he examined her. She was petite, slender, pretty. Long blonde hair was caught up in a ponytail. Her nose was small, shorter than his, but had the same arched, almost aristocratic air. Her chin was thoroughly stubborn. She had creamy, lightly tanned skin, much like his own. Again, what shocked him were her eyes. They were exactly like his.  
  
"So, who are you?" Buffy asked again.  
  
"Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived and apparently the Hunter." He gave her a friendly grin.  
  
"Did you say Harry Potter?"  
  
He groaned. "Uh huh."  
  
"We need to go see Giles." She commented.  
  
As she dragged him away, he replied, "And why can't I go see Dumbledore?"

###

A/N: Well, that's it, guys. Hope you like it.  
  
You know what you have to do.  
  
Review.  
  
Think of it this way. You review me, I'll go and review you (if you write stories I read).  
  
Thanks!  
  
Lol, Tanydwr 


	2. Chapter 2

Hey, people. Thought I'd update, since you're all so nice. Might be a couple of weeks before the next one, though. Okay?  
  
By the way, have you seen the new Harry Potter film? I mean, there were a couple of things that weren't explained, but if you shy away from the books, it was a brilliant film! Even with the books, it's still great! JKR says it's the best film so far, and who are we to doubt the author whose work is being used?  
  
Answers to reviews at end. Onto the story!  
  
**Chapter 2  
**  
"Giles! I've found one of them!" A voice yelled through the large manor house.  
  
"This place is amazing." Harry Potter commented. "Much nicer than Malfoy Manor, but then I blew that up."  
  
Buffy shot him a funny look and entered the Conference Room. The others were all sat there. Young, chestnut-haired Dawn, brown, slightly greying haired Giles, black-haired Xander with his eye patch, blonde, skinny Andrew (his room was by the kitchens since he had proven a good cook), dark-haired Faith and shaven, dark-skinned Robin Wood.  
  
"Hi guys." Buffy grinned.  
  
"Buffy, how was patrollin'?" Faith asked.  
  
"London's got as many vamps as Sunnyhell." Buffy replied.  
  
"Wicked." Faith grinned.  
  
At that moment, someone else appeared. A grey-eyed redhead with a cheery expression entered, Harry could sense the power emanating from her.  
  
"Willow!" Xander exclaimed as he and Buffy went to hug her.  
  
"Hi guys, I – uh – there's something you need to know." She looked sad.  
  
"What happened?" Buffy asked, worried.  
  
"Me 'n' Kennedy. We broke up."  
  
"Oh, why?" Buffy asked. "You two were great together!"  
  
"It just... She still had that thing about magic. Even though the thing with the scythe wiped me clean..."  
  
"Oh, Will, that's too bad." Buffy hugged her friend.  
  
"Yeah. Yeah. Maybe I should go back to guys." Willow gave a half-hearted grin.  
  
"Well, whatever you do, don't turn into a demon magnet like me." Xander joked.  
  
"Um, Buffy, who's our guest?" Giles asked, looking at the young man who was leaning languidly against the wall, playing with something in his hands.  
  
"Well, why doesn't our guest explain?" Buffy asked, sitting down.  
  
"Well, I can hardly tell all of you who I am. You're not like me... Except..." He frowned, re-examining Buffy, Willow and Dawn. "You three. You have power. Magic power."  
  
Buffy shook her head, as did Dawn. "Magic free here."  
  
Willow frowned. "How do you know that?"  
  
"I can sense it. Ever since Sixth-year..." His voice trailed off.  
  
"What's your name?" Giles asked.  
  
"Potter. Harry Potter." He replied.  
  
Buffy giggled. He frowned. She grinned at him. "Sorry, but that seemed so much like 'Bond, James Bond'."  
  
He grinned. "Did a little, didn't it? So what about you?"  
  
"I told you, I'm Buffy Summers." She began pointing to the others. "Dawn, my little sister. Xander, Willow, my two best friends. Faith, my sister Slayer. Giles, my Watcher. Robin, Faith's – dare I say it – boyfriend and my ex-boss. Andrew, my... well, he's just sort of there. Cook and researcher, I guess."  
  
Andrew gave a shy smile. "I'm redeeming myself. I killed someone."  
  
Harry shrugged. "Haven't we all."  
  
Buffy stared at him. "You killed someone?"  
  
"Well, lots actually. Must be at least a hundred odd vampires by now. A number of assorted demons. Oh, and of course, Tom Riddle. Only one who was actually close to human, and I wouldn't say there was much left."  
  
"Why'd you kill him?"  
  
"Evil. Trying to purge the world. World domination. Murderer and torturer of countless wit... people. Including my parents and my best friend." (A/N: Major hint there!)  
  
"That's awful."  
  
"Yeah. But at least I'm still human. It had to be me who killed him. Anyway, enough about me. You're the Slayer?" He asked pointedly.  
  
"You've heard of us?"  
  
"Yes. Vampires kept saying that I reeked of the Slayer's power, but couldn't be one since I was male. Hermione and I looked it up. One girl born into each generation to fight the demons, blah, blah, blah. Oldest Slayer lived to twenty-five, lasted for ten years. Youngest was killed four days after finding out about her destiny. She was fifteen. Of course, it can't be true about the one girl bit, can it? Because otherwise you'd have to wait forever for a new Slayer and the demons would overrun the Earth."  
  
"You did a lot of research, didn't you?"  
  
"I finally succumbed to Hermione's nagging. I needed to do well in school to get my job. It did work."  
  
"Well, you were mostly right. We kinda changed the 'one girl' bit. Every girl born with the potential to be Slayer, now is a Slayer. Willow did it so we could defeat the First a while back."  
  
"That was the disruption in April?"  
  
"Yes, how did you...?"  
  
"My kind know of the Hellmouth and it's demons. However, we rarely come across them. They prefer Muggle areas. Muggles are blind to them."  
  
"Muggles?"  
  
"People who are unlike us. Some of you are, but I've a feeling you aren't normal Muggles."  
  
Willow shook her head. "Buffy and Faith are Slayers. The original Slayers, actually. Buffy died, but was revived. That called Kendra, but she died, calling Faith. The other Slayers who live here are the remains of the potential Slayers whom the Bringers were killing so as to eliminate the Slayer line."  
  
Harry nodded. "What about you, and Dawn, is it? I can sense power in you two."  
  
"I, er, I'm a witch."  
  
Harry frowned. "How can you be? You do not use a wand..."  
  
"Wiccan witch." Dawn clarified.  
  
"Ah. And you?"  
  
Buffy looked awkward. "She – uh – she is the Key." For some reason she felt she could trust him.  
  
Harry's eyes widened. "Holy crap." He stated.  
  
"What did you say?" Buffy commented.  
  
"Your eyes... Her eyes... Key... You were put into human form?" Dawn nodded. "Damn, I'm going to kill Trelawney."  
  
"Who's Trelawney?"  
  
"My ex-Divination teacher. She spends most of her time making up stupid predictions, especially about death and bad luck. However, she does actually have some Sight, though more about little things. Once in a while, she predicts something big. Two have so far come true. She made a third not long ago about a Key, a Slayer and a Hunter. That vampire said the same."  
  
"Hunter?" Giles asked.  
  
Harry nodded. "Apparently, that's my nickname with the Undead."  
  
"It's no nickname. The Hunter is even more legendary than the Slayer, though thought to be a myth. Strength, heightened senses, speed, stamina, suppleness, often able to feel the strong emotions or needs of those close to him. Often has magic." Giles frowned. "Who are you, what is 'your kind'?"  
  
"I'm Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived. I'm a wizard and an Auror. My kind is witches and wizards. We are different to Wiccans. We use wands and incantations. Our magic comes from inside ourselves, not the world around us. It's less... intoxicating than Wiccan magic, so I am told. Wizards and witches use magic for everything. Which is why I beat Tom Riddle." Harry grinned. "He underestimated Muggle ways."  
  
"How did you kill him?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I drove the Sword of Gryffindor through his chest. Slytherin never had a sword and never passed it on to his Heir, which was Tom. I happened to be Gryffindor's Heir, but since I had some very Slytherin traits, I understood Tom better than he thought."  
  
"What traits?" Buffy wanted to know. She didn't understand who Slytherin or Gryffindor were, but got the idea that Slytherin wasn't a great guy.  
  
"Ambition, cunning, disregard for the rules, which I might say also comes from my dad. I'm also a Parselmouth, which Tom accidentally passed on to me when he tried to kill me the first time."  
  
"What's a Parselmouth?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Someone who can talk to snakes." Harry replied.  
  
"Cool!" Xander grinned.  
  
"Who is this Tom you keep talking about?" Giles frowned.  
  
"Tom Riddle, also known as Voldemort. Evil wizard, wanted me dead, wanted to take over the world and kill all Muggles and non-pureblood wizards, which is very hypocritical since his daddy was a Muggle."  
  
"You defeated _Voldemort_?" Giles checked.  
  
Harry nodded. "Yeah, why?"  
  
"Because I now remember why your name seems familiar! The Coven told me about a powerful evil wizard named Voldemort who greatly upset the balance four years ago when he used necromancy to fight. They said that he was afraid of two wizards only. One they didn't know the name of..."  
  
"Albus Dumbledore." Harry replied. "He's the only wizard Tom was afraid of."  
  
Giles shook his head. "No, there was a second. They said that he was also afraid of a child, by then a man, who held a power in such abundance that he could not defeat it. They said his name was Harry James Potter."  
  
Harry shrugged. "He was only afraid of the prophecy because he never found out all of what it said. As for power... I don't believe I was any more powerful than him."  
  
"Then how did you defeat him?"  
  
"I used Muggle means against a magical problem."  
  
Xander grinned. "You're just like Buffy, she's always arguing with Giles."  
  
Harry grinned. "For me it's Dumbledore. I completed wrecked his office at the end of Fifth-year."  
  
"Did you burn down your high school gym?" Buffy asked.  
  
He shook his head. "Nah, we don't have a gym. I did manage to destroy the Quidditch pitch in Sixth-year. I can tell you, people were not pleased that a crater stood where it had been. Thank God for magic."  
  
"I blew up my next high school." Buffy informed him.  
  
"Blew up Malfoy manor."  
  
"My last house now lies at the bottom of what is now called Sunnydale Gulf." (A/N: It was at the seaside. Say the sea flowed in.)  
  
"Actually, Buffy, that was Spike." Xander pointed out.  
  
Buffy pouted. "Fine."  
  
"I should introduce you to the twins. They created a swamp on one of our corridors." Harry grinned.  
  
They continued to exchange stories, Harry finally explaining all about Voldemort and wizarding world, while Buffy did the same for the First and the demonic world.  
  
"I'm sorry, Buffy, Dawn, there's something about you two that is just too much. I think you might be witches. My kind." Harry informed them.  
  
"H-how do you know?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I can sense it."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I don't know. I've been able to do it since Sixth-year. I don't know what happened, but when I turned sixteen I seemed to get better senses and stuff." Harry explained. (A/N: Before anyone suggests it, this isn't a super-power Harry story. He's powerful, but doesn't realise how much.)  
  
"So what do you propose?"  
  
"We go and see Dumbledore." Harry replied.  
  
"Erm, I think there's something you ought to see first." Buffy informed him and opened the hidden door.  
  
Andrew looked surprised. "What's up there?" He wanted to know.  
  
"Secret passageways, staircases and our rooms." Buffy replied. "You're the only other person who knows. Don't tell anyone, don't go up there unless necessary."  
  
Andrew nodded. "Okay."  
  
Buffy, Dawn and Giles headed up, Harry following. They soon arrived on the corridor at the top of the house.  
  
Harry stared at the door to his room, which was at the far end and opposite Buffy's.  
  
"My name. Why hasn't yours got a surname?" Harry asked.  
  
"We don't know. We figure whatever, or whoever, set this up, just didn't know." Buffy shrugged.  
  
Harry shook his head. "There'll be a reason, these things aren't just forgotten."  
  
He turned the doorknob, whispering a password.  
  
"You already have a password?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Doesn't everyone?"  
  
"We just use keys." Buffy informed him tartly.  
  
"I do, but Hogwarts always uses passwords. And this place reminds me of Hogwarts." Harry opened the door.  
  
The room proved to be similar to the others, themed with red and gold with mahogany wood. He was glad that the red was mostly muted – sometimes it could be too much. He then stared at the photos upon the mantelpiece.  
  
"Who are they?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Those are my parents." Harry pointed to the photo. "And that's Sirius and... Well, I don't know who she is. She looks kinda familiar..."  
  
Buffy frowned. "That's my mother. Why is she...?"  
  
"I don't know." Harry stopped as his eyes went onto the next photo, himself, a girl with curly brown hair and brown eyes and a boy with bright red hair and blue eyes.  
  
"Who are they?"  
  
"Hermione and Ron. My best friends." Harry's voice was thick by now. "That was taken just after graduation. Just before..."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Tom killed Ron." Harry stated. (A/N: Ha, ha! That's why he hasn't got a door!) "I've got another copy of this photo."  
  
It was then that Buffy jumped.  
  
"What?"  
  
"They – the photos are moving."  
  
Harry nodded. "Yeah, wizard photos do that. It's one of the best things about them."  
  
"C'mon, you wanted us to see Dumbledore, didn't you?"  
  
Harry nodded, startled.  
  
Then they passed the verse at the other end, by the door.  
  
"Interesting." Harry commented.  
  
Willow came up the stairs.  
  
"What's interesting?" She asked.  
  
"This verse."  
  
Willow read it, her grey eyes unreadable. She then stared at Buffy and Harry.  
  
"Come on."  
  
"What's with the blank door on our side?" Harry wondered.  
  
Buffy shrugged. "No idea. Where exactly are we going?"  
  
"It's a short walk from here. Dumbledore should be there, he often is during the summer."  
  
"Hey, I'm coming too." Willow informed them. "I want to know about this Dumbledore guy."  
  
"Sure. He won't mind. In fact he'll probably be very inquisitive about Wiccan magic." Harry explained.  
  
"Then what're we waiting for?" Buffy asked. "Who's coming?" Willow, Dawn and Giles informed her that they were. "Okay, Xand, you and the others check on the girls, alright?"  
  
Xander nodded. "Sure. And maybe I'll shop for some groceries while I'm at it."  
  
"Good idea. It's, what, eleven, and I don't think any of them have eaten yet. We'll sort everything else some other time. We need to feed them now. We'll see you later. If we're not here tomorrow morning, we'll probably still be with this Dumbledore guy."  
  
Xander nodded. "Okay."  
  
Buffy and the others left, taking light jackets – while it was warm, it was not yet August. They were two weeks into July.  
  
"So, where're we going?"  
  
"It's called Grimmauld Place. Good job we haven't still got the charm on it, or you'd not be able to see it, let alone go in."  
  
It was about a half hour's walk from what Buffy called Slayer Manor – which was on the edges of the middle of London, and absolutely huge – to Gimmauld Place.  
  
"Here we are." Harry grinned.  
  
The house they stood before looked well groomed and was clean and white. A brass doorknocker was in the shape of a phoenix. Harry knocked three times.  
  
Someone opened the door. "Who... Harry! How lovely to see you!" A young redheaded woman stated.  
  
"Nice to see you too, Ginny. Is Dumbledore about?"  
  
"You know full well he is." Ginny scolded. "And besides, he's never too busy to... Who're these people, Harry?"  
  
"Oh, Buffy Summers, her sister Dawn Summers, Rupert Giles and Willow Rosenburg." Harry introduced each one in turn. "It's why I need to see Dumbledore. How's Neville?"  
  
"He's fine. Very fine." Ginny smiled mysteriously.  
  
"What's so funny?" Harry wanted to know. "What're you hiding, Miss Weasley?"  
  
Buffy snickered.  
  
"What?" Ginny asked her.  
  
"Did he propose?" Buffy wanted to know.  
  
Ginny looked taken aback. "How the... Yes, he did."  
  
Harry grinned. "Good guess, Buffy. You guessed from the door, didn't you?"  
  
Buffy nodded. "It's very sweet. Is she related to your friend?"  
  
Harry looked sad for a moment and nodded. "Yes, she's Ron's little sister."  
  
"How did you know Ron?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Saw a picture. We'll probably be seeing you." Buffy explained.  
  
"Where's Dumbledore?" Harry asked.  
  
"In his office. I swear, he doesn't know what sleep is." Ginny informed them as she led them in.  
  
"Neither do I." Harry and Buffy muttered in unison. The others stared.  
  
Ginny narrowed her eyes. "You sure you aren't related? You've got the same eyes. Like your Mum, Harry."  
  
Harry shrugged. "Yeah, whatever." He knocked on Dumbledore's door.  
  
"Come in." A voice stated.  
  
Harry obeyed. Dumbledore was sat inside with Remus Lupin.  
  
"Harry. To what do we owe this pleasure?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"A certain chance meeting while I was out this evening." Harry began.  
  
"You were hunting again." Remus said sternly.  
  
"Not exactly..."  
  
"Harry, you're going to get yourself killed!"  
  
"Have you seen a vampire lay a hand on me since we blew up Malfoy Manor? No. Anyway, while I was out chasing vampires, I met Buffy." He pointed to the blonde. "Then this vampire got really weird and started saying something about my being the Hunter. And then something about Hunter, Slayer, Key. And true parents being known only to one."  
  
Buffy interrupted. "He said something about one kept, one given away, one created from given's blood. We don't know what it means."  
  
Dumbledore frowned. "Harry, why did you bring them here?"  
  
"Because Buffy and Dawn appear to have magic, our magic. Willow is a Wiccan, and interested in ours. Mr Giles..."  
  
"Just call me Giles, everyone else does." The man interrupted.  
  
"Giles appears to be their version of you. Plus, at their new home, this manor about half an hour's walk away, there's a corridor. It has six doors on each side, each leading to a room. Each is named but for one. One side belongs to them and their group. The other to ours."  
  
"I'd say Buffy and you are seen as the leaders." Willow commented. "You're both at the end."  
  
Harry shrugged, not bothered. "The door that isn't named is on our side."  
  
"Who are named?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"You two. Hermione. Neville and Ginny are shared. Then there's the other door. I can't work out why it isn't named." Harry frowned.  
  
"Belongs to someone we don't know yet?" Remus suggested.  
  
Buffy frowned. "I'm sorry if this is rude, but... are you a werewolf?"  
  
Remus looked surprised. "Yes, I am. Uh... how did you know?"  
  
"Sensed it. There's something different in your..." Buffy tried to work out the word.  
  
"Aura." Harry supplied.  
  
"Yeah, that."  
  
"One other thing, the rooms seem to be created by magic, but Buffy's and mine don't have surnames." Dawn interrupted.  
  
At that moment, someone burst into the room. They all turned.  
  
It was a tall woman with greying hair, grey-blue eyes and glasses.  
  
"Minerva?" Harry asked.  
  
"I just had to know. When Ginny said..." Minerva McGonagall asked.  
  
"Know what?" Albus Dumbledore frowned.  
  
"You look so much like her. Not one of you has her hair, but your eyes..." Minerva stated.  
  
"What?" Buffy asked.  
  
"You are the Key, aren't you, created from your sister's blood?" McGonagall shot this at Dawn.  
  
"Yes, but..."  
  
"They are they." She stated.  
  
"Who?" Remus asked.  
  
"Harry, Buffy and Dawn are your sisters."  
  
# # #  
  
A/N: Ha ha! An evil cliffhanger! And no update for a couple of weeks because of exams! Muahahahahaha! #Sister rushes in with chocolate# Oh, that's much better. Sorry, guys!  
  
Right, to my reviewers – I can't believe I got 16 reviews for the first chapter!  
  
hellmouth princess: My first reviewer on this story! I hope this lives up to expectation! You're hooked already? I feel so loved!  
  
Malli: Glad you like it. I'm trying to make the long-lost relation thing feasible and realistic. Glad you like the pairing, yeah I like it too! I love BtVS/HP crossovers too! That's why I write 'em! Check out my other one, if you like. You might need to search for Tanydwr on 'Search' though!  
  
Chrios: Glad you like it. As you see, Ron's dead. His character just wouldn't fit in this story. As for the pairing, lots of people seem to like it! Yay!  
  
Draco's Slytherin Vampiress: Draco in the story? Draco and Buffy a couple? Um, to be honest I don't like Draco all that much, and I think Buffy may have had her fill of blondes and brunettes. However, she's not had a redheaded boyfriend... Would you settle for Draco being in the story, but being a royal prick? Y'know, he went neutral, or light side, but he's still a rich aristocratic bas... Okay, so I don't like Draco. Actually, there might be some of him though. I can see a confrontation, especially after what Harry has done to Malfoy Manor...  
  
Harry'sGurl: Thanks! #Blushes# Well, Ron's door was answered here. He's dead. But who does the unnamed door belong to?  
  
Claudia: Glad you like the magic house, I'm kind of playing on childhood wishes here. Technically, at sixteen, I'm not a child any longer. How unfair! Anyway, didn't know about the other story, but there's lots of stories with similar titles out there. Hope you weren't disappointed! But I can't change the title now!  
  
Ebiletha: It's good? And it's different? That's great! Thanks! Those were my main criteria! I'm trying to make it a more original 'Buffy/Harry has a long lost sibling' story. From what is revealed in the fifth book, I can't see James and Lily having a child during sixth or seventh year. Doesn't mean those stories are bad though. I like 'em!  
  
BrokenSkye: What do you mean 'Er... okay'? As for the nickname, that was me having a bit of fun (and probably Neville or Ginny!). Glad you like it though!  
  
Sabia: Glad you like the rhyme. That was carefully thought out in two minutes. Sometimes they just come to me!  
  
Anne-Janet: Well, nearly everybody got a room but Ron...  
  
meenyrocks: Yup, I'm afraid Ron died. He refused to comply with what I told him! So I shot him and marked him as dead in the story. Aren't I nice? #Sister moves away slowly at realising Tanydwr thinks of characters as alive and talking to her#  
  
And to manticore-gurl071134, Lolly6, SilverKinght7, Allianna and polgarathesorceress2, thanks! Here's your update!  
  
Now, the unnamed door? Anyone want to guess who it belongs to? It isn't revealed until the end of Chapter 5, so there's a couple of chapters' leeway. Review to say who you think it is!  
  
That's all for now.  
  
Ta ta! Sorry, need more chocolate!  
  
Lol, Tanydwr 


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, here's the next chapter, since I am feeling oh so happy that I have no more GCSEs!  
  
Read on!  
  
**Chapter 3  
**  
Everyone stared at her.  
  
"You're joking, right?" Harry asked.  
  
"I've never been more serious. No one else knew you had a twin sister. And since Dawn was created from Buffy's blood, she too, is your sister."  
  
"Twin?" Harry asked. "We look nothing alike."  
  
Minerva nodded. "It is true. You look almost exactly like your father but for your eyes, they look like your mother, but for their hair. And the nose. They have your father's nose."  
  
"I'm sorry, but we are not his sisters. We're the daughters of Joyce and Hank Summers." Buffy informed them.  
  
Minerva shook her head. "Joyce Evans took you in. She was Lily's sister, a Muggle. She married Hank not long after she took you in Buffy, and they made the records so everyone thought you were their daughter. Dawn, of course was created from your blood, but even so, she is still the daughter of the Potters, even though they now lie dead."  
  
"I – I can't believe this. It isn't possible." Buffy said.  
  
Harry, on the other hand, looked furious. "My mother had another sister? Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"Harry, we couldn't..."  
  
"I SPENT THE FIRST TEN YEARS OF MY LIFE BEING MENTALLY, VERBALLY AND PHYSICALLY ABUSED!" He roared. "EVERY SUMMER AFTER THAT WAS JUST AS BAD EXCEPT THEY PREFERRED MENTAL TORTURE, OR KEEPING ME LOCKED IN A ROOM, PASSING MEAGRE MEALS TO ME ONLY LETTING ME OUT THREE TIMES A DAY TO USE THE BATHROOM! YOU LEFT ME IN THE DURSLEYS' CARE FOR WHAT WAS SUPPOSEDLY MY SAFETY! IT'S A WONDER I WAS STILL ALIVE WHEN HAGRID FOUND ME!"  
  
Everyone in the room paled.  
  
"What?" Minerva McGonagall whispered.  
  
"Didn't you wonder why I got so angry I inflated dear old Aunt Marge until she was floating? Didn't you wonder why the Weasleys had to fly an enchanted car to Surrey and back and pull the bars off my window? Didn't you wonder why, every time Mrs Weasley saw me, she said I needed fattening up? I don't suppose you wondered why I turned out to be out in the dark when I had to run Dementors off Dudley? Or why I had to use the threat of my murdering godfather Sirius Black just to allow my owl out of her cage? Or why I turned up at Grimmauld Place before Sixth-year taller, musclier and tanned, yet extremely malnourished? And how about, when I finally left them, I left a pack of Wheezes' Sweets that would suddenly appear in their food every so often?" Harry informed them. His voice was icy. "And now you inform me I had another aunt, with whom the blood protection would have worked, and wouldn't have left me in the cupboard under the stairs as soon as she found me on the doorstep?"  
  
"Harry, we lost all contact with Joyce. She moved to America and we couldn't find her." Dumbledore explained.  
  
"Did you try?" Harry wanted to know.  
  
"Wait a minute!" Buffy snapped. "Am I really his sister? How do you know? Why wasn't I kept?"  
  
Minerva smiled. "You are his sister. Both of you. Lily and James told me, shortly after you were born. There was an ancient prophecy. They would birth the Hunter and Slayer, but would not be alive when the Key entered their family. The Slayer would grow up in a different land with one of her blood, but not as close as she believed. She would be protected from Voldemort, for if he found out her destiny, he would kill her."  
  
"He tried to kill me instead." Harry stated.  
  
"Yes. When he found out the prophecy from his Death Eater, he knew it was you, because he also knew that when you reached sixteen, you would become the Hunter. He also watched both you and Neville and must have sensed the innate power you have within you. That which destroyed him." Minerva explained.  
  
Harry groaned. "I don't have any extra power! You keep going on about it, but I don't! I just used a Muggle weapon. I used his weakness to my advantage, that's all!"  
  
"You have the same power Buffy does." Dawn suddenly stated.  
  
"What power?" Buffy frowned.  
  
"He tried to save Sirius, he told us before. You took spells for your friends. You even took Avada Kedavra, you said, for Hermione. It bounced off because of your mother's protection. You keep saying it's because of her force, but it isn't. You have the same power. You and Buffy _are_ related. Because you both have a hero complex with a twist."  
  
"What?" Buffy asked. "Dawn, I'm the one who took psych. Admittedly my teacher turned out to be a psychopath, but still..."  
  
"Buffy, you're both willing to die to save someone you love. You died to save me. Harry took the Killing Curse to save Hermione. You've both got the power of love."  
  
Buffy and Harry exchanged a look and burst out laughing.  
  
Dawn stamped her foot, annoyed. "What's so funny?"  
  
"Sorry, it's just... The power of love? You couldn't have made it sound more corny if you tried." Buffy laughed.  
  
"Oh dear Lord." Remus muttered.  
  
"Do all British men in their forties say that?" Willow asked Giles.  
  
"Sorry, but I think Buffy might turn out to be a little like James. Which isn't always a good thing." Remus explained. "Was she a troublemaker?"  
  
"Sort of." Willow grinned. "She had the whole big destiny thing, but trouble sort of found her. She got kicked out of school. Twice." She noticed Buffy and Harry sobering up quickly. "Burned down a gym, blew up the school."  
  
"You two don't do anything by halves, do you?" Remus asked, eyes wide. "You've got James' quality of making trouble and Lily's of making it very, very big."  
  
Harry shrugged. "Well, it's not..." He stopped. His eyes swam and his head pounded with a woman's shrieks. "Aargh!" He stumbled to the floor.  
  
"What is it?" Minerva asked.  
  
"Harry?" Buffy asked. She couldn't deny that he was her brother. There was a definite connection.  
  
Harry's eyes and head cleared enough for him to say one thing. "Hermione."  
  
Ginny, who was just entering. "Is Hermione in trouble?" She asked.  
  
"If that bastard's hurt her..." Harry began and swept out of the room, running from the house.  
  
"Who? What?" Buffy stammered.  
  
"Hermione is Harry's best friend. She, Harry and my brother Ron were really close in Hogwarts. Ron died in the war against Voldemort. He was Voldemort's last victim. Harry killed him moments later." Ginny swallowed. "Hermione's living with her boyfriend, Darren Shore. Harry doesn't like him. At all."  
  
"But Hermione's supposed to be smart, isn't she?" Buffy frowned.  
  
"Is anyone when it comes to love?" Was Ginny's reply.  
  
They sat and waited anxiously for Harry to return. In the meantime, Minerva convinced Buffy and Dawn that they really were Harry's sisters. Meanwhile they recounted what they knew of each other's worlds. Dumbledore was especially interested in Wiccan magic and also the magic they had used to call the first Slayer. Willow was equally interested in Wand magic (A/N: For want of a better name.) while Giles was more interested in the creatures, effects of spells and magical instruments they had.  
  
Dawn was surprised when Minerva commented, "You have a great potential for magic, you know."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You and your sister. I know Lily and James were dead when you would have been born, or 'created' if you prefer, but you are their daughter. They were very powerful. It's strange how not one of you gained your mother's red hair though." Minerva frowned.  
  
"I wish. I always wanted red hair. How come Buffy's blonde then?"  
  
"Your aunts and grandmother were blonde. That's what made the appearance of Buffy being Joyce's daughter so perfect. Your hair comes from your other grandmother, James' mother. Harry got the Potter penchant for the first-born son looking like his father except for maybe one feature, almost always the eyes."  
  
"So is Harry oldest then?"  
  
"Yes. He's twenty minutes older than Buffy."  
  
"And she was born Buffy?"  
  
"Yes, your mother always liked that name. Do you know what it means?" Minerva grinned wickedly.  
  
"No, what?" Dawn asked, checking her sister was still talking with Remus and Ginny.  
  
"Little rabbit." The Transfiguration professor grinned.  
  
Dawn laughed. "So that's why she always like stuffed rabbits! Ha!"  
  
At that moment the door downstairs banged open.  
  
"Ginny?" A male voice called.  
  
"Neville, up here!" Ginny called.  
  
Moments later, a young man appeared. He was shorter than Harry, equally muscly with honey brown hair and mild blue eyes. His face shone with friendliness, but also suggested he was dangerous when messed with.  
  
Ginny went over to him, kissing him hello.  
  
"Hello to you too." Neville grinned. "Hi, Dumbledore, Minerva, Remus, um... who are you?" He asked the Americans.  
  
"My sisters, their friend and their Dumbledore-figure." A voice growled from behind him.  
  
"Harry?" Ginny asked, and then screamed when she saw the figure in his arms.  
  
"Ginny, get Madam Pomfrey. Now!" Harry ordered, and went through the door at the other side of Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Mother of Merlin, what happened?" Remus gasped.  
  
"That bastard attacked her. From the looks of things, he tried to rape her. Not to mention that she's got traces of the Cruciatus all over her. I don't know what happened, but he's going to get life in Azkaban." Harry informed him as he laid the bundle in his arms gently in the other room, what Dumbledore called the 'Healing Room'. "Neville, you'd best go pick him up. He's in the house. Looks like Hermione put up a bit of a fight. And I struggled to get him under control. He's tied up, under the Full Body Bind complete with anti-everything wards. I didn't want him getting away."  
  
Neville kissed Ginny on the cheek and left. Harry shut the door to the Healing Room, waiting for Madam Pomfrey.  
  
No one could hear him, so he thought.  
  
"God, Hermione. How could he do that? Why would he do that?" Harry moaned, creating a camera to take pictures of her injuries. He sat down beside the bed, taking one bloody, bruised hand in his. "I'm so sorry. I should've known sooner. I just wish you'd listened to me!" He put her hand down and began pacing. "Why didn't you? I told you he was bad news! But you didn't listen to me! You said I couldn't cope! Said I was jealous!" He snarled, then felt tears brush his cheeks as he stopped and took her hand again. "Of course I was jealous. I've been in love with you since... I don't know. Maybe since you fixed my glasses on the train. Or when you got us out of trouble when we saved you from the troll. Not that you'd have needed saving if Ron and I hadn't locked the thing in with you." He gave a derisive laugh. "I didn't recognise it, of course. In fact, I only recognised it in Fifth-year, funnily enough when Cho accused me of liking you instead of her. I realised she was right. I mean... there was something special about you I couldn't place. Something I couldn't define. Your intelligence. Your bravery. Your personality. The fact that you were quite happy to smack Malfoy round the face, perhaps. God, Hermione, please, just pull through this. Wake up."  
  
He put his head down on the bed, his eyes closed, silent tears streaming from his eyes. Both his hands clutched hers tightly.  
  
However, someone did hear his words.  
  
"Buffy, get away from the door!" Dawn hissed.  
  
"Uh-uh. He's my twin brother, I can do what I want." Buffy grinned, definitely liking the fact that she now had a brother, it was someone new to tease, after all. She pulled away. "Did you lot know he's in love with her?"  
  
Remus nodded. "I suspected something. When he jumped in front of her to deflect that Killing Curse. Voldemort sent it, but he had enough sense move after he had. I think his own love for Hermione created a shield, not just his mother's love for him. In any case, the Killing Curse that rebounded burnt the three Death Eaters who had been standing behind Voldemort to ashes."  
  
"Why didn't he tell her how he felt?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Harry has this major guilt complex. Especially since Ron's death. Ever since. He believes everyone he gets close to will die, because of him, because of being his friend. Especially after he found out about the prophecy. He saw it as being the reason his parents were killed. Cedric. Sirius. Ron. Not to mention Moody and Snape. Snape turned out to be a good guy in the end. He died at Voldemort's hand when he refused to give up the location of Harry's whereabouts after graduation." Remus explained. "It's only just starting to abate. In fact, he might just be getting over it. But he didn't want to risk Hermione any more than he had to. He let the entire wizarding world believe he was no more than her friend, including her."  
  
"What about Hermione?" Dumbledore suddenly asked. He had never realised this.  
  
"Hermione believed it. She's in love with him. Ginny told me." Remus answered. "It was when Hermione was debating whether or not to move in with Darren."  
  
"Don't tell Harry that. Or he'll feel even guiltier." Buffy warned.  
  
At that moment a woman appeared, swiftly followed by Ginny, both holding large bags.  
  
"I came as soon as I heard, Albus. Who is it?" Madam Pomfrey asked.  
  
"Hermione Granger. Harry's with her now. Talk to him carefully. Hermione appears to have been attacked by her boyfriend." Dumbledore explained.  
  
"Merlin." The nurse breathed. She opened the door quietly.  
  
At that moment, Harry shouted, "Live, damn you! I love you!"  
  
Instantly, something began to happen. Golden light spilled from Harry's hands to Hermione, bathing her body in a wondrous glow. Skin knitted, bruises faded, blood ceased flowing. The glow was accompanied by what sounded like phoenix song. The light then whirled round him, almost as though on a wind.  
  
"Heal." A voice whispered.  
  
Another voice spoke. "We have heard your words, boy. Your love conquers all, including wounds."  
  
And then suddenly, everything vanished. Hermione, still stained with blood in a torn nightdress, gasped in air.  
  
"What...?" She began. She saw Harry and burst into tears.  
  
"What... What's wrong?" Harry asked.  
  
"I didn't tell you! If I did..."  
  
"Why, Hermione? Why did he do this?" Harry asked, pulling the sobbing young woman in close in a hug.  
  
"I told him I couldn't do this. I was ending it. Since it was my house, he had to leave." Hermione explained.  
  
"And then?"  
  
"He attacked me. He tried to... to rape me. He didn't succeed. He just got too possessive. Like I belonged to him. But I didn't love him. I was living a lie."  
  
"Why, Hermione?"  
  
"Because I love someone else."  
  
"Who?"  
  
Hermione didn't answer. She pulled away from his hug and sat up on the bed, swinging her legs down. Harry stood, frowning, confused. He looked into her eyes searchingly. Suddenly, Hermione's hand shot out and grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling his face down to meet hers as she kissed him. Harry was only confused for a moment before settling into it, his hands slipping round her waist.  
  
A giggle startled them.  
  
Ginny, Buffy, Dawn, Neville and Remus all stood peering in at them. Madam Pomfrey, Dumbledore, Giles, Willow and Minerva were talking quickly in hushed whispers.  
  
Harry went scarlet.  
  
"You going to ask her out then, bro?" Buffy asked.  
  
Harry grinned at the use of the nickname, while Hermione looked confused. Then his face hardened. "He's in custody?" He asked Neville.  
  
"Yes. Do you have photographic evidence?" Neville asked.  
  
Harry pointed to the camera on the table by the wall. "Those hold pictures of Hermione's... injuries."  
  
"Who attacked you, Hermione?" Neville asked.  
  
"Darren Shore, that's who." Hermione snarled.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I told him I wanted to end it. Then to leave."  
  
"Did you provoke him in any other way?"  
  
"No. I told him he could spend the night if he wanted, but I wanted him out of the house by the next morning. He was becoming too possessive. He was crazy." Hermione told him flatly.  
  
"Thanks, that's all I need." Neville took hold of the camera and the copy of her answers and sent them to the Aurors in the office, where they were dealing with the case.  
  
"I'm sorry, Hermione." Harry told her.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I should have known. I should have said something..."  
  
"You were scared. I know. That's why you've never had a girlfriend." Then she pursed her lips. "Unless you count Cho, but you only went on one date and that ended rather badly..."  
  
Harry laughed.  
  
Buffy raised a brow. "You've _never_ had a girlfriend?"  
  
"You've only had two proper boyfriends. Two left town. And then there was Spike, but... Well, your relationship with him was kinda warped. And he's dead anyway." Dawn stated.  
  
"Your boyfriends left town?" Harry asked her.  
  
Buffy shrugged. "I never said I was good in relationships. Anyway, what the hell happened? Why isn't she still comatose? Not that I'm not glad you're not anymore." She explained to Hermione.  
  
"We think we know." Minerva stated.  
  
"What was it?" Harry asked.  
  
"Does anyone believe in the theory of soulmates?" Willow asked.  
  
"You mean two halves of a whole?" Hermione asked. "I mean, I've read about the theory. Supposedly means that incredible things can happen if one wants it badly enough, especially to do with healing." Then her eyes widened.  
  
"You don't mean..." Harry began.  
  
"You and Hermione are soulmates? Sure do, bro." Buffy grinned.  
  
"Why does she keep calling you bro? Who is she and the other three anyway?" Hermione asked.  
  
"That's Buffy, she's the Vampire Slayer, the brunette, Dawn, is the Key. The redhead is Willow, a Wiccan witch. The man is Giles, a Watcher and what I fondly refer to as their Dumbledore-figure." Harry grinned.  
  
"And the nickname?" Hermione asked.  
  
"That's the complicated bit. See Buffy and Dawn are my sisters."  
  
Hermione stared at them. "Dawn's too young."  
  
"She's the Key. She was created from Buffy's blood, and Buffy is my twin sister, making her my little sister as well." Harry explained. Then looked at Minerva. "Who's oldest?"  
  
"You are. You're twenty minutes older than Buffy." Minerva answered.  
  
"Ha! You're the oldest now, you're the responsible one. Life can be fun again!" Buffy grinned.  
  
"You are definitely James's daughter." Remus affirmed.  
  
Hermione just looked confused.  
  
"Don't worry, we'll explain tomorrow. I think we all need some sleep." Harry stated. "You might want to borrow some clothes."  
  
Hermione's nightdress was only a thin cotton and very torn. She nodded. "Are there rooms free?" She asked Dumbledore.  
  
"There are always rooms free for you." He stated. He turned to the Americans. "You are welcome to stay the night."  
  
Buffy nodded. "That'd be great."  
  
As Ginny escorted them to their rooms, Buffy suddenly gasped.  
  
"What?"  
  
"If Harry's my brother, does that mean I'm English?"  
  
# # #  
  
A/N: Sorry, but I had to put that phrase in somewhere. It's great, isn't it?  
  
Okay, to my marvellous reviewers:  
  
Selene: Okay, maybe it isn't a cliffhanger if you'd already guessed. Never mind. I love Sirius too, but nope, not him, I'm afraid.  
  
Yeah: What a name! Sorry, it just tickled me! Glad you liked it. I thought, if I was going to make them related, I was not going to do the birth certificate thing. It's been done a few times now, so no. I wanted to be original. Yep, should be fairly long. But I actually have to work out what evil they're going to face now. Should've done that earlier, I know.  
  
Anne-Janet: Sorry, I know, I killed Ron off. As it is explicitly explained in this chapter. And also, there's the reason Joyce had Buffy. Protection.  
  
manticore-gurl1071134: If you look, Lupin already has a door. Nope, not Sirius I'm afraid. He may just stay dead, but I'm not entirely sure. McGonagall, well, she gets her door next chapter. After all, Hermione's unlikely to be wanting her own room now...  
  
Ivy Tearen: Why am I a meanie, pray tell? Glad you like it though. I've been called a lot worse than meanie in my time!  
  
Draco's Slytherin Vampiress: Buffy, single? Maybe. I'm not entirely sure. She certainly won't be paired with anyone soon. Maybe one of the twins, I'm not quite sure yet.  
  
Imp17: Yeah, I figured McGonagall would surprise people. I mean, everyone would expect Dumbledore or Lupin or someone with a story like that, wouldn't they?  
  
Kandice: Intrigued? Wow, my story's intriguing! _Does crazy victory dance._ Uh, sorry 'bout that.  
  
meenyrocks: Actually, true parents known only to one was meant to be McGonagall, since she knew the truth, but I guess Harry does as well! Oh well, either interpretation is still correct! Sorry about Ron, but I couldn't see a place for him in the fic, I'm afraid. PoA was good, but there you go. Yeah, exams are awful. I've finally finished, but last week I had three days all together where I had two exams each day, and most were long. I mean, I wasn't home until quarter past, half past four a couple of days! Since we finish at ten past three and I'm twenty minutes walk away, that's late! Updates will hopefully be more regular, but I can't say where the muses will pull me next!  
  
hellmouth princess: Here's your answer. Lily and James were most definitely the real parents!  
  
zee: Huh? Buffy and Dawn are Harry's sisters, no one else's.  
  
Megz01: Here's the chapter!  
  
DevilsTears: Glad you liked the damage comparison. I can just see it happening! If Harry had destroyed the Quidditch pitch and Malfoy Manor, of course! Also glad to hear that reading my fic is worth the effort! And as for the door, alas, 'tis not Sirius! I love him, but he might have to stay dead. Mind you, maybe I'll raise him from the dead at a later stage, after the owner of the door is revealed.  
  
Don'tbeme: Sorry 'bout Ron. Funnily enough, that's very like how I see Sirius and Remus as well. If only Remus wasn't a werewolf... If he wasn't, he'd be the kind of guy with tons of kids and managing to keep them all under control, dontcha think?  
  
Chrios: You don't like Ron then? I'll have no part in torturing Ron unless it makes a good story. Actually, my sister was annoyed at me for killing him off, but I do have a tendency to kill characters off. Or cause them immense torture. The chapters I haven't written, but plan to of 'Curses, Prophecies and the Elemental Guardians', my HP fic, (note shamless advertisement) have some of that in. Some already do, but not in the spades those will! The shame!  
  
BrokenSkye: Another person shocked by McGonagall's dramatic entrance and revelation! Yay! Ron, nope, not coming back. Sorry.  
  
Ishtari: Glad you like it. Hope this was interesting enough! I think it's fun, at least!  
  
Damned Angel: Name change by any chance? Sorry you found it confusing, but glad you liked it! And, excuse me, but I've just updated two fics in one day, so meh! to you too! And Seer of Faith hasn't even posted, let alone updated!  
  
Thanks everyone, and remember that if you review, I will try and read a fic of yours!  
  
Lol, Tanydwr 


	4. Chapter 4

Okay, finally updating this. Sorry it took so long!  
  
**Chapter 4  
**  
The next morning dawned brightly. It was a golden day, the sun shining and the heat wave continuing. Harry Potter woke up, wondering why he felt so happy. Then he recalled the previous night's events.  
  
He had two sisters. And he had Hermione.  
  
Swiftly he dressed, pulling on jeans, a white vest t-shirt and a light shirt. He headed downstairs to the kitchen, aching for something to eat.  
  
He was not the first one up.  
  
"Good morning." Harry greeted the redheaded Willow.  
  
She was wearing her clothes of the previous day, but looked very bleary- eyed. "S'nothing good about it."  
  
"Why?" Harry frowned.  
  
"It's morning." Willow explained logically.  
  
Harry just laughed and opened the magical fridge, pulling out jugs of orange juice and milk and setting them on the table. He then proceeded to cook breakfast – eggs, bacon, sausages, toast, mushrooms (though he hated them, he knew Hermione loved them), tomatoes and baked beans.  
  
Willow stared as he did so. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Making breakfast?"  
  
"You make breakfast?"  
  
Harry nodded. "Yep. Been making it since I was old enough to use a frying pan. For my uncle, aunt and cousin." His face darkened. "But it turns out I'm a fair cook anyway and I enjoy it. I also like eating what I cook." He grinned.  
  
"And you always cook for hundreds?"  
  
Harry eyed the filling plates, complete with charms to keep the food freshly cooked. "Well, I guess it's a habit I picked up from Molly." He grinned. (A/N: Hooray! He's finally stopped calling them Mr and Mrs Weasley! Sorry. Couldn't help that one!)  
  
"What is it that calls me from my swinish slumber?" Remus asked as he entered.  
  
"Your nose and stomach, Moony. Have some breakfast." Harry grinned.  
  
Remus grinned back and began eating. He nodded at something he was thinking. "You definitely have your mother's culinary gifts."  
  
Harry grinned. "Aren't I glad of it? I know one of the categories Hermione placed on her boyfriend was 'good cook'."  
  
Hermione entered to hear the last words. Bleary-eyed, she smiled wickedly. "I know. I choose so perfectly, don't I? He can iron too, you know."  
  
Harry groaned. "And I despise that. And I have a problem."  
  
"What's that?" Hermione asked, giving him a peck on the cheek.  
  
"How do I explain that I have three house-elves?"  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
Remus grinned. "You just did, and I don't think it worked."  
  
Harry grinned. "Yeah, but she didn't hear the rest." He knew Hermione had given up S.P.E.W., but that didn't mean she thought it was okay to have house-elves. "You see, Mione, one of them's only a baby. The other two... Well, the unlikeliest couple you'd ever have thought."  
  
"Who?" Hermione now looked suspicious.  
  
"Dobby and Winky."  
  
"Oh Harry!" Hermione flung her arms around his neck, hugging him tight and kissing him.  
  
"Eew, it's too early in the morning to see my brother necking with his girlfriend." Buffy complained as she walked in.  
  
Harry broke away from Hermione. "We are not 'necking' as you so delicately put it. Kissing maybe. Nothing so far as necking."  
  
Remus eyed Buffy, who was yawning. "I can't seem to stop making comparisons to your parents. You seem less and less like James in the little things everyday, Harry. You're actually awake in the mornings, which was Lily. James never was. Mind you, Lily seemed able to function on about three hours sleep too..."  
  
"God, don't I love _that_ habit." Harry commented. "I swear, not needing a lot of sleep is what got me through the NEWTs, or I'd never have had enough time, what with schoolwork, Quidditch, the DA, the Duelling Club, extra lessons, sneaking out for random reasons..."  
  
"Usually to look in the Restricted Section." Hermione put in.  
  
"Well, yeah." Harry grinned.  
  
Buffy suddenly seemed to notice the piles of food on the table. "Mmm, breakfast!" She dove in.  
  
Willow and Hermione joined her.  
  
"You lot act like you've never had an English breakfast before." Harry frowned.  
  
"Nope, nice though." Buffy said as soon as her mouth was empty.  
  
"Me either." Willow concurred.  
  
"I just love your cooking." Hermione grinned.  
  
"Flirt." Buffy grumbled, then looked at Harry. "You cooked this?"  
  
"Yeah. I like it. I think that's enough. And before you say anything, people often do seem to turn up at odd times, especially breakfast. So that's why I make a lot."  
  
"My brother is a good cook. I'm pathetic. Dawn is great. Anyone else think I got the wrong end of the straw?" Buffy asked.  
  
Hermione grinned. "Yep, but I got the right one."  
  
"That's just scary." Buffy informed her.  
  
"Hey, can we go shopping today?" Dawn asked as she bounded in.  
  
Buffy groaned. "Another person who is sickeningly awake in the morning. Spare me!"  
  
Dawn grinned. "Food!"  
  
Harry sat down at the table and helped himself to everything except mushrooms. "Food is good."  
  
Hermione nodded. "You make it good."  
  
Dawn rolled her eyes. "Yeah right."  
  
"Hey, I cooked this, I'll have you know, Li'l Sis." Harry informed her.  
  
"You seem to have accepted the fact that you are brother and sisters very well." Willow frowned.  
  
"We're in a world of magic. When you're told at the age of fifteen that the reason Riddle tried to kill you was because of a prophecy foretelling that you were the only one with the power to kill him and then that his trying to kill you marked you as his equal and that neither of you could survive while the other lived, you kind of lose your disbelief." Harry explained. "Plus Minerva never gets anything wrong. She's like the epitome of truth."  
  
Buffy grinned. "Yeah, that's sort of what sold it for me. Plus I wasn't like my dad at all. Actually, that would explain some things..." She frowned.  
  
"Such as?" Dawn asked.  
  
"The divorce. Mom and Dad were always arguing, and then Dad said something about my being a freak... different, unnatural."  
  
Harry's fist clenched. "He didn't."  
  
Buffy nodded. "I never understood what he meant. I mean, I was the Slayer by that point, but he couldn't have found out. He must have known about Lily... I mean, my real Mom and Dad."  
  
"Buffy, in Britain we say Mum. M-U-M. Mum." Harry informed her.  
  
"Yeah, well I've spent nearly my entire life in California. First LA, then Sunnydale."  
  
"Sunnydale? As in what used to be the Hellmouth?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yeah, why?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Well, I've read about it and..." She stopped as she found Harry's hand over her mouth.  
  
"If she ever starts a sentence with 'I've read about it' either run or shut her up." Harry explained.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione protested, pushing his hand away.  
  
"What?" He asked innocently.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Idiot."  
  
"Egghead."  
  
"Prat."  
  
"Know-it-all."  
  
"Louse."  
  
"Goddess."  
  
Hermione blinked.  
  
"See, you just need to confuse her. And it can be difficult." Harry grinned.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Why do I put up with you?"  
  
"Because you love me."  
  
"And you've only had to put up with him for... oh, nine hours?" Buffy grinned.  
  
Harry's face darkened. "Yeah, Mione, they want to see you at the Ministry. Because of... you know."  
  
"Darren." Hermione spat the name out like a swear word.  
  
"Yeah. I got the message this morning from Kingsley. Ten o'clock. Hopefully it won't take too long. They just need your evidence. Then the trial is this afternoon. They'll make a recording so you don't have to go into the courtroom and see him again."  
  
Hermione nodded. "Thank God. Do you need to be there?"  
  
"No. They're making a recording for me too. We just need to make our statements. We've got things to do this afternoon."  
  
"Such as?"  
  
"Such as visiting Buffy and her friends. There's something important you have to see. You all have to see." Harry explained.  
  
Hermione nodded as Ginny and Neville appeared in the room and sat down to breakfast.  
  
"Harry, you have spent way too much time with my mother." Ginny informed him as she piled food on her plate.  
  
"Why is everyone suggesting there's something wrong with being able to cook well?" Harry demanded.  
  
"Not everyone." Hermione smiled gloriously.  
  
At that moment, Albus and Minerva appeared.  
  
"Ah, breakfast." Albus Dumbledore smiled.  
  
Harry nodded. "Yes, and make any comments about being surprised I can cook or cooking for thousands and I'll hex you into next week."  
  
"Harry!" Hermione looked shocked.  
  
"Hey, he's not my headmaster anymore, I can't get detention." Harry grinned.  
  
"Now _that's_ a James comment." Remus stated.  
  
Buffy shot him a look. "Why do you keep comparing us to our parents?"  
  
Remus shrugged. "It's interesting. Plus, since I'm the only Marauder left, I feel it's my duty to annoy you."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "He's taken the role of uncle. In fact, if our parents were still alive, we'd probably have been calling him 'Uncle Remus' since we were so high." He made a height with his hand below the table. "And you'll find out about the Marauders. There was Dad, Sirius, Remus... and Peter." He spat out the name hatefully.  
  
"What did he do?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Oh, he only betrayed our parents to Riddle, posed as Ron's rat for twelve years, resurrected Riddle, killed and tortured tons of people and killed Snape." Harry looked angry.  
  
"Snape?"  
  
"Potions teacher. We hated him through school. He was unfair, bigoted and totally biased to his own house. But he turned out to be one of the good guys. He was a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. Peter eventually betrayed him to Riddle, having used his animagus form again. And then Peter killed him. Yeah, we all disliked Snape, but we didn't want him dead." Harry shook his head.  
  
"And now Peter is dead?"  
  
"Yeah. When I killed Riddle... it started a chain reaction. His most trusted Death Eaters died as well, linked by the Dark Mark on their arms. The newer ones didn't. Most of them are now in Azkaban." Harry revealed.  
  
"What a cheerful subject for first thing in the morning." Minerva commented.  
  
"Yeah, Buffy, I asked you a question before. Can we go shopping?" Dawn wanted to know.  
  
"Uh, sure, why not?" Buffy asked. "We've got some money, in fact all the Slayers have." She grinned at Harry. "The Council of Watchers had more money than I knew existed. We used it to buy that house, and we're going to give all the Slayers salaries, as well as work on refilling our collections of information. I don't suppose any of you can give me an address for a bookstore involved in typical demonic texts, could you?"  
  
Hermione nodded. "There's one at the corner between Knockturn and Diagon Alleys. It's not commonly frequented, I only went in there one time because of the rain. It might have what you are looking for."  
  
"Great." Buffy grinned. "What about Wizard money? We've only got Muggle money, in pounds!" She groaned. "I have enough trouble trying to convert the prices into dollars."  
  
"It's about two and a half dollars to a pound." Harry told her helpfully. Everyone stared at him. "What? I had that trip to America last year when I was tailing Simmons."  
  
"Tailing? Simmons?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Dark wizard. Not in Riddle's league, of course. He was caught selling Dark potions on the Black Market. And I mean Dark. Those that relate to what are known as the Unforgivable Curses, control, torture and death. I was tailing him because that's what I do. I'm an Auror, we're the wizarding equivalent of the police force, only a lot more elite, especially after the war. We're only just rebuilding our numbers. Anyway, that's that. And Buffy, don't worry about Wizard money. Turns out our parents were loaded. I had a trust fund and I still haven't finished it. I'm willing to bet you did too, for whenever you came back. There's also the family vault in the belly of Gringotts, only I can't get into it. It's charmed so only both of us can get into it the first time." Harry shrugged. "We'd best visit Gringotts after the Ministry. Did you want to come to Ministry? You might want to explain to the Minister about everything."  
  
Buffy frowned.  
  
Dawn's eyes widened. "Oh my God, does that mean our surname's Potter? Because we didn't have any on the doors?"  
  
Harry nodded. "Could be."  
  
"Umm, we'd best call them if we're going to see the wizarding world." Buffy explained.  
  
Harry handed her what appeared to be a mobile phone. Hermione frowned. "Harry, those won't work here..."  
  
"It will. All the Aurors have them now. They aren't Muggle, they're Magical. Same sort of format and everything, but they run off magic. You can contact Muggle lines with them as well though. Good things come from a Minister who appreciates Muggle devices." Harry grinned.  
  
Buffy smiled. "Thanks."  
  
She punched in the number for the line to the Conference Room of the house (it had several lines to avoid confusion). After a few seconds, someone picked up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Xander, hi!" Buffy grinned.  
  
"Hey, Buff. So, you stay at whatever place it was overnight then?" Xander asked.  
  
"Yeah we did. Look, Xand, we're going to be a bit longer. There's some stuff to sort out this end. Harry and Hermione have to got to..."  
  
"Hermione? Granger, right?" Xander asked suddenly.  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
"Well, her name disappeared from her door. It's on the same one as Harry's now. And someone called Minerva McGonagall took place of her name."  
  
"_WHAT_?" Buffy yelled.  
  
"Buffy, what's wrong?" Harry asked.  
  
Buffy began laughing. "Oh, Xander that's great. Pure blackmail."  
  
"Blackmail? Why would you be interested in blackmailing them?" Xander sounded confused.  
  
"You'll find out when I bring them all this afternoon, evening, whatever. Get Faith to start organising the girls. I dunno, get some working on refilling the libraries with what we've got, setting up work-out rooms, training, that sort of stuff. Okay?"  
  
"Yeah, that's great. Oh, and Buffy?" Xander now sounded a little concerned.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Any idea why the surname on yours and Dawnie's doors has appeared as Potter?"  
  
Buffy laughed and Xander could hear her smile in her voice. "Ah, wouldn't you like to know? You'll find out this evening. We'll see you soon, 'k?"  
  
"Yeah. Bye, Buff."  
  
"Bye Xander." She hung up.  
  
"Blackmail?" Harry demanded.  
  
Buffy grinned. "Those doors have habits of changing names around." She informed him. "And now Minerva's got Hermione's room."  
  
"What? You don't mean..." Harry blushed.  
  
Hermione frowned. "Doors? Names?"  
  
"You'll find out later, love. We've only got half an hour until we need to be at the Ministry. Lucky I have this week off, isn't it?" Harry grinned.  
  
"Just as well really." Hermione agreed.  
  
Breakfast soon finished and it wasn't long before Harry, Hermione, Buffy, Dawn, Neville and Ginny were trooping off to the Ministry. Willow and Giles had stayed to discuss things further with Albus and Minerva, both giving a more thorough grounding of their worlds and what overlapped (and what didn't).  
  
However, Buffy looked sceptical when Harry stopped them outside of a phone box.  
  
"What?" She asked.  
  
Harry grinned. "Trust me. Since you two can't Apparate, we need to use the Visitor's Entrance. Go in, it's bigger than it looks."  
  
They were incredibly squished, in spite of Harry's words. "Okay, whoever's closest type in the number 62442!" He ordered.  
  
"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business." A cool female voice ordered.  
  
"Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom, Aurors, Ginny Weasley, Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, escorting Hermione Granger to Auror Headquarters to give evidence and Buffy and Dawn..." He paused and looked at Buffy, she nodded. "Potter to a meeting with the Minister."  
  
"Thank you, visitors, please take a badge and affix it to your robes." The female voice commanded.  
  
There was a click and three badges appeared. Harry handed them to Buffy, Dawn and Hermione.  
  
"Visitors to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium."  
  
At that moment, the floor gave a shudder and suddenly they sunk into the ground. It was a lot like a lift, except darker, there was no light. Moments later, a golden light illuminated them and they were inside the Atrium, which was full of busy looking wizards and witches.  
  
A golden statue and fountain sat in the middle, not of the Magical Brethren as it once was. It showed a man on his knees beside a memorial. From the back, he looked sorrowful, crying upset. A woman stood beside him, she appeared to be comforting him. The back of the memorial said, _'We must never forget them'_. From the front it was different. The man looked determined. He held the woman's hand, she showed sorrow and insecurity. He revealed hope to her. This side of the memorial said, _'We must never let another cause so much pain'_. A pool of water surrounded the statue like a moat.  
  
Beside it there was a plaque. It said:  
  
_THE FOUNTAIN OF MEMORIAL, ALL PROCEEDS FROM THIS GO TO ST. MUNGO'S HOSPITAL AND THE REBUILDING OUR WORLD FOUNDATION.  
_  
Buffy stared at it, frowning. "Harry, did they use you and Hermione on that?"  
  
"What?" Harry asked. "No, they can't have..." He had to admit, he had never really looked at it. But something seemed awfully familiar about that position...  
  
"Harry, that's us!" Hermione gasped. "How did we not see it? At Ron's grave. That's exactly how we were stood..."  
  
Harry shrugged. "Let them use it. At least it's real." He didn't care any more about such things. This message was far more important than the last one.  
  
They registered Hermione's wand, and caused the man some confusion pertaining to Buffy and Dawn.  
  
"No wands? You can't bring Muggles in here!" He informed them.  
  
Harry looked at him. "Steve, they are not Muggles. It's confusing to say the least, but we have to meet with the Minister in an official capacity today. Now, if you don't let us through, Hermione and I are also going to be late for giving statements, and we do not want that, now, do we?"  
  
Steve looked up. "No, Mr Potter. Sorry, Mr Potter. Go on ahead."  
  
As they walked away, Hermione whacked Harry lightly. "Harry, you're not supposed to do that."  
  
"That's the first time this year, besides, if we're late, we risk Shore being released or something else awful. And Buffy and Dawn _have_ to see Arthur." He replied.  
  
They entered the lift and went through the floors.  
  
"This is us." Harry stated when they got to Level 2, Department of Magical Law.  
  
"What're we supposed to do while you're in there?" Buffy wanted to know.  
  
"Ginny's got the day off, she's staying with you. Hermione, Neville and I'll be giving our evidence. Won't take more than an hour, I hope." Harry replied.  
  
He, Hermione and Neville disappeared into a room inside Auror Headquarters, while Buffy, Dawn and Ginny waited.  
  
"How long is it going to be?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Like he said, probably an hour. You want a tour of this level? I don't know it so well, but I do do some work down here." Ginny grinned.  
  
"Sure, why not?" Dawn grinned.  
  
# # #  
  
Buffy, Dawn and Ginny reappeared outside the Auror Headquarters just as Harry, Hermione and Neville were leaving. Hermione looked distraught, Harry pale and angry. Neville's face showed a complete mask.  
  
"What happened?" Buffy asked, concerned.  
  
"Shore's going to Azkaban, life sentence." Neville answered.  
  
"But then why..." Buffy began.  
  
"They had Hermione put the memories into a pensieve. It was worse than we thought. She couldn't actively remember all that he did. But the pensieve showed them." Harry's face was harsh. "They're lucky the bastard was in another room."  
  
"Harry, please." Hermione murmured.  
  
He took her in his arms. "I will never let that happen to you again, Mione. I promise."  
  
"Uh, Harry, the meeting with Arthur." Neville reminded him.  
  
Harry nodded. They headed for the Minister's office, preparing for what could be a tricky meeting.  
  
# # #  
  
A/N: Okay, I hope that chapter was alright! I really meant to post it up much earlier. Sorry about that.  
  
I've had a whole load of reviews for that, so thanks everyone!  
  
Individually:  
  
meenyrocks: You really write long reviews, huh? Thanks. Harry said little sister because he was assuming. When he asked Minerva, he was checking. I'll get round to adding in the fact that he was checking at some point. I'm pretty sure I reviewed, as well!  
  
Kandice: Yeah, great word and Darren, well, I'm throwing him into Azkaban for life. Dunno whether the Dementors are still there or if there's a spell with the same effects, in any case, he's gonna spend the rest of his life suffering...  
  
ba4everloves: Nah, Angel's not in it. Sorry. I love the pairing, but it just wouldn't work in this. I might leave her single for a while, or just casually dating. Or summat like that.  
  
dragonbrat: Wow, worthy of a review is cool. Yeah, with anything that's been done before, I try and put an original twist onto it. If I'm gonna take a cliché, I'm gonna make it new!  
  
Angus Hardie: I'm glad you liked that comment. I really appreciate specifics in reviews, so I'm glad you've said what it is you like. As for dramatic, well, drama's my middle name. Well, actually it isn't, but there you go!  
  
Aynot: I am trying not to put in A/Ns. I just can't help myself sometimes! Sorry it took so long to update!  
  
Chrios: Thanks. I don't remember if you said torture or whatever. Ignore me, I'm mad. Just read the story!  
  
CodeName Targeter: Sorry, yep, Ron's dead. Thanks!  
  
Amy: Nope, none of those are for the blank door. You're gonna have to think outside the box. And remember that I am evil and I have a habit for the dramatic, unexpected and seriously weird.  
  
The Keymaker: I know it's cheesy! I like cheese! Especially double Gloucester. Yum. Anyway, thanks. Knowing the Buffy characters and storylines do tend to help, but it's up to you if you see it! Now update your fic!  
  
Collectively, thanks to: Ivy Tearen, LRGator, Zekintha, Blue Skywalker, elvengoddess696, and TBK.  
  
Thank you all. You're wonderful, marvellous people and I'm sorry it took me so long to update.  
  
Happy holidays!  
  
Lol, Tanydwr 


	5. Chapter 5

Hee hee. Here's Chapter 5 people...   
Chapter 5 

"Your... sisters?" Arthur Weasley looked completed nonplussed. "While it is possible that the elder may be your sister, the younger... Harry, she's too young."

Harry nodded and looked at Buffy. "It's true. Buffy is my twin sister. Dawn, um, well I'm still not clear on it..."

Buffy knew he wanted her to explain it, if there was a reason for them _not_ to tell him. And it was a good idea not to advertise Dawn's being the Key.

"Dawn was an ancient priestess." Buffy informed him. "She was sent forward through time for protection from an enemy. Since he died in that time, she is now safe. The group who sent her through created false memories of her for us, and a new body from my blood. She didn't know of her true identity. The only clue was her affinity for ancient languages. Since she was created from my blood, she _is_ my sister and therefore Harry's."

Dawn and Harry looked at her, surprised, but quickly hid it. Harry just grinned. "How come she gives a much easier to understand explanation to the Minister of Magic?" He asked Dawn.

"You're her brother, her twin. Even though she's only known it for about twelve hours, she feels it's her duty to torment you." Dawn replied. "Try being her little sister."

Arthur merely looked excited. "Well, this is an incredible turn in events. There have been few priestesses who've disappeared completely and that disappearance being the reason for evil's downfall, but still... This is exceptional. The group must have been very powerful. I've never heard of a spell to do that." He frowned.

"It was Ancient Magic. Few know of it, let alone can utilise it. There are more branches of magic than we realised. We had never heard of wand magic until yesterday." Buffy explained.

Harry nodded. "Wand magic is that which we use. There's Wiccan Magic, which calls upon the Earth, or gods, or elements for power. There's Ritual Magic, that requires a lot of time and energy and lengthy rituals and incantations in various languages, frequently Latin. I believe a lot of Gypsy magic used it. Wiccan and Ritual Magic are generally exclusive to Muggles, but while many may practise it, few have the power to do much more than create slightly more powerful herbal remedies. Willow Rosenburg, a friend of Buffy's, is a practitioner of Wiccan Magic. And extremely powerful. You can meet her, I hope." Harry grinned. "Ancient Magic... I've heard of that. It has similarities in some senses to Wiccan and Ritual Magic, but employs use of a powersink in the Earth, one's own natural power and the power of Light itself. Some can even use it when they don't know they have..." Harry was frowning. Then his eyes widened. "Crap."

"What?" Dawn asked.

"I... The spell... To bind Voldemort to his body... To slay his evil... It wasn't wand magic... I gave a spell, in English... And Hogwarts is it's own powersink... A protective one, not destructive... I think..." Harry stammered.

"You used Ancient Magic to defeat Voldemort?" Buffy asked. "How powerful could he have been?"

"Powerful enough to call the plants and trees of the Forbidden Forest to his aid. Powerful enough to let them walk and talk. Powerful enough to let vampires walk in sunlight. Powerful enough to raise the dead. He was powerful. Too powerful..." Arthur frowned.

"Raise the dead?" Buffy asked.

"No, not resurrection like yours. He gave them life, true life, but they were bound to obey him. Some came back as zombies. Others as vampires. Most as human slaves. And he delighted in bringing back his victims." Harry spat bitterly.

"Who?" Buffy wanted to know.

"Mum and Dad. And then I... I had to kill them. But it wasn't them. It wasn't!" Harry punched a wall in frustration. Arthur paled when his hand went straight through. "Crap. I've gotta control myself..." Harry stated.

"Harry, calm down. They weren't your... our parents. Just as a vampire isn't the person they were when they were alive. You didn't explain this to us. You just said you thrust Gryffindor's Sword through his chest. What happened?"

"I made up a spell. Three sections. The first to bind Voldemort and his powers to that body. So he couldn't escape like last time. The second to end his evil as his life ended. The last to kill him. Of course, the last was done in conjunction with Gryffindor's Sword. I used it as a conduit for the power. And I thrust it into his chest." Harry explained.

"So not Muggle means to a Magical problem after all, eh?" Dawn asked.

"I guess not." Harry sighed. "Anyway, Buffy and Dawn need to be signed officially as my sisters. They were living with my mother's _other_ sister in America. They thought she was their mother. She died two years ago."

"I'm sorry." Arthur looked at the girls.

"It's okay." Buffy smiled. "I'm sorry about Ron."

Arthur looked down. "I know. Five years nearly. At least we only lost him."

"And Percy." Harry pointed out.

Arthur shook his head. "We lost Percy long before that when he sided with Fudge. He never came back to us. It hurt... But it wasn't the same."

Buffy wisely chose not to ask.

They sorted out the papers and Dawn's identity (by the story which Buffy gave) was confirmed. They included blood tests and this further proved that both girls were the daughters of James and Lily Potter.

"I wish Mum was here to see this." Harry smiled.

"What?"

"She died saving me. Her love saved my life. I think she would have loved to have seen us all together. She knew about Dawn. Before Dawn's presence was even conceived, she knew about her." Harry explained. "She was a very compassionate and loving person."

Buffy smiled at him. "You are definitely her son then."

"What?"

"Only someone who loved as much as you would have accepted this so easily. And someone like you who would have survived those years with the Dursleys with the code of honour and the love you possess. Nurture does not seem to have changed your nature at all." Buffy informed him.

"Is it just me, or is everyone being scarily philosophical today?" Dawn asked, lightening the mood.

Harry laughed. "I think I could get used to a little sister."

"Famous last words." Buffy grimaced.

"_Two_ little sisters." Harry grinned.

"Two?" Arthur asked as they performed the last piece of paperwork.

"Harry was born first. Which means he's the oldest with all the responsibilities. It means I can foist any punishments Dawn needs off on him."

"Hey!" Dawn and Harry yelled in unison, both annoyed.

"Dawn, might I remind you of an incident with kleptomania?" Buffy asked.

"What?" Harry asked.

"There were issues!" Dawn replied. "Mom's death, and you dying, and being resurrected and the whole 'let's leave Dawn out of everything', and..."

"Dawn, I kidding." Buffy smirked.

Dawn rolled her eyes. Harry shrugged. "Kleptomania's preferable to getting into the kind of trouble I did at school. And distinctly unadvisable in the wizarding world. If you nick some things, they have a tendency to trigger nasty little curses. Or even nastier big ones."

Arthur was examining the last of the paperwork. "That's all in order. Here are your papers..." He passed them to Buffy and Dawn. "And your IDs..."

He handed them each a ring.

"Huh?" Dawn asked.

"The ring contains all necessary information about you. It's much easier than it used to be. The ring also responds to thought signals and will change into the design you want." He explained. "Everyone has them. Some look great."

Harry held up his right hand. A band of gold stretched over his ring finger. "They're pretty good. And they make my job a lot easier. We can find out exactly who someone is. Only problem is that people are now attempting to make fakes. Luckily, only a select few know the exact combination of spells to make one, or the unique spell that links to our files."

Buffy blinked as she slid hers on. Instantly it became a thin band with an amethyst embedded. "Cool!"

Dawn's, which she slid on her thumb, appeared in a Celtic knot design. "Wicked."

"You've been hanging with Faith again, haven't you?" Buffy asked.

Dawn shrugged. "So have you. Besides, it's not like I've started saying 'five by five', is it?"

Arthur Weasley smiled. "You are free to go."

"Oh, right." Buffy gave a sheepish grin.

"C'mon. Arthur, there may be a meeting in the next few days. It depends on what I find out today."

"About?"

"Buffy and her friends. They're not normal Muggles. And Buffy and Dawn are our kind of witches. I've no idea why they weren't invited to a school." Harry explained as they left.

Hermione rushed towards them. "You were _ages_! What took so long?"

"Stories, paperwork, ID rings." Harry explained. "The usual. Remind me, and I'll get round to fixing a communication charm into the rings."

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Special charm Aurors know. For when we're on a job or need assistance. Regular methods of communication, or even magical phones, take too long when you're tracking a suspect."

"Oh."

"Right, next stop, Diagon Alley." Harry grinned.

"Wow, this place is amazing." Buffy observed.

Harry grinned. "Pretty much my first impression, except you aren't that articulate when you're eleven."

Dawn stared at him. "Did you just say Buffy's articulate?"

"Nah, I was struck dumb." Harry grinned.

Buffy whacked her brother. He just grinned.

Buffy then frowned. "Harry, how come you're so strong?"

"What? Oh, you mean that, er, hole in the wall now in Arthur's office?" Harry asked, blushing.

"What? Oh, Harry, tell me you didn't punch a hole in the wall again!" Hermione wailed.

"He makes a habit of it?" Buffy asked.

Hermione nodded. "First time he did it, we were in Grimmauld Place. Punched his fist right through Mrs Black's face."

"She was annoying me. And insulting Sirius wasn't exactly the best way to get on my good side at that time." Harry pointed out.

Hermione grinned. "Portrait of Sirius' mother. She was a real bitch, completely obsessed with blood purity and hated anyone who 'consorted with Muggles and Muggle-borns', except she used a different term for Muggle-born. Harry lost it one day."

Buffy grinned. "Don't worry. I've damaged my own fair share of property."

"They were having a contest as to who caused the most last night." Dawn told Hermione cheerfully. "It's kinda scary, knowing that you're in a family with two delinquents."

"Says the kleptomaniac." Buffy pointed out.

"Damn, I was hoping you'd ignore that." Dawn muttered.

"Not gonna happen." Buffy smirked.

"Okay, enough bickering you two." Harry ordered. "Come with me. We need to get some money."

They headed into Gringotts.

"Name please?" The goblin at the desk asked.

"Harry Potter. Are the keys to vaults 315 and 316 available?" Harry asked.

The goblin looked at him sharply. "We are only to give those to the twin and the magical daughter of James and Lily Potter."

"What luck I have them with me. Complete with rings." Harry grinned.

The goblin scanned the rings and found them correct. He handed them to Buffy and Dawn.

"We'd also like to visit the Potter family vault now that we are finally able to enter." Harry informed him.

"Of course, Mr. Potter. Follow me." The goblin ordered.

Before arriving at the requested vaults, they first stopped at Hermione's, vault 1007, one of the newest vaults, to collect some money for her.

Harry explained to his sisters on the way. "These are our personal vaults. They contain the money that our parents left us as a trust fund, as well as whatever money we earn. The rest of our parents money is within the family vault, and apparently there is a lot."

The girls nodded in understanding.

They soon arrived at the vaults, all three leaving the cart. Unlike Hagrid, they enjoyed the ride.

"What's the currency?" Buffy asked.

"Twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, seventeen Sickles to a Galleon. Not entirely sure what it corresponds to in Muggle currency. Hermione's more likely to know." Harry explained.

Once the girls had collected what Harry claimed was more than enough money, they headed down to the family vault while Hermione explained the currency. Harry also mentioned that he kept a proportion of his money in a Muggle account for Muggle purchases, like a TV, clothes and other such things. Harry, like a number of the younger generation of wizards, wore Muggle clothing rather than robes, or else robes over their clothing. Muggle clothing was also more practical for Aurors.

"The Potter family vault." The goblin stated.

The vault did not have a number on it. Instead, it had a massive lion with the motto beneath it, 'Defend the innocent, defeat the guilty, and try to make our hair neat.' The name Potter was at the top, but it appeared that it had been changed at some point.

"Nice family motto." Buffy smirked.

"And so fitting." Hermione agreed, looking at Harry's hair.

"Hey, you love my hair!" Harry replied smirking.

Hermione grinned wickedly. "Yes, well, I don't know about neat, but I can make it messier..."

"I thought you were the sensible practical person." Dawn frowned.

"Is anyone ever sensible when it comes to love?" Buffy asked.

"Well, from experience, you're certainly not." Dawn grinned and dodged away from her sister's swipe.

"Quiet, children." Harry told them, amused. He turned to the goblin. "Was this someone else's vault originally?" Harry asked, but he had a feeling why it was different.

"Oh no, it has always belonged to your family." The goblin informed him.

"Has our family name changed? From Gryffindor to Potter perhaps?" Harry enquired.

"Yes sir. It is well known that the Potters are the direct descendants of Gryffindor. The name was changed not long after Gryffindor became famous. His family's name became Potter."

"I thought so." Harry grinned. "Can we go in then?"

"There's a special case, sir, that your parents set up. You need to place your thumb on each of the lion's eyes." The goblin explained.

Buffy and Harry obeyed.

Buffy frowned. "Isn't it a bad idea to poke a sleeping lion in the eye?" She quipped.

"Probably." Harry grinned.

The twins pressed the lion's ruby eyes. A flash of magic temporarily blinded them, and then the door creaked.

Harry tugged it open and looked around the vault.

"This isn't a vault, it's a house!" Dawn stated as she followed her siblings in.

Hermione looked amazed, then saw a door to the side marked 'Library'. Harry swiftly grabbed her.

"What?" Hermione asked innocently.

"If I let you in the library, you'll never come out." Harry stated.

"This place is amazing." Buffy gasped.

It was. The vault consisted of a central room with a number of items of furniture. However, along the edge were labelled doors. 'Money' was one. They didn't enter it, having no need. 'Attire' was another. They entered this to find clothing – wizard and Muggle – from throughout the centuries, along with boxes of jewellery. Some were labelled. Others were not.

Harry noticed one box though. "Wedding and betrothal rings of Harold Potter and Ophelia McKinnon." He frowned, then gasped. "These are our grandparents' wedding rings!"

"Grandparents?" Buffy asked.

"Potter grandparents! They were killed by Voldemort in the First War! He was a hero. Died in a battle facing Death Eaters. She was killed when she visited her sister. The McKinnons are all dead now. Voldemort wiped them out." Harry sighed.

"Harold? You're not a Harold, are you, dear brother?" Buffy asked.

"Nah. Says Harry on my birth certificate." Harry replied. "Most definitely a Harry."

"Shame, I could've done with some ammo."

"Ammo?" Harry asked. "Remind me never to get in the way when you have a bow."

"I will." Buffy grinned.

"Does anyone want anything from here?" Harry asked. "We can come and have a longer look sometime. We've got things to do today."

"Sure. C'mon, Dawn, 'less there's anything ya want." Buffy informed her sister.

"Nah. But if I end up in Hogwarts and there's a ball, can I come here to get my costume?" Dawn asked.

Harry laughed. "Yeah, fine. C'mon."

They headed up to the 'land of the living' as Hermione put it. She had never been overly found of underground spaces.

"Okay, what now?" Buffy asked.

"Best start with wands."

Harry did not reveal that he had taken a small emerald pendant as well as his grandparents' wedding rings.

They headed into Ollivanders'.

"Ah, Mr Potter. What can I do for you? Wand hasn't caused any problems has it?" Ollivander asked, silver eyes glistening.

"No, no, it's my sisters." Harry answered.

"Ah, yes, Miss Potter, and the young one, yes, the Dawn." Ollivander stated. "Yes, I need some wands for you both. Now, Miss Potter the elder..."

"Buffy," she supplied.

"Buffy. Twins tend to favour wands with similar features. So, this combination..." Ollivander carefully chose a wand. "Phoenix feather core with the hair of the died-twice Slayer, holly, eleven inches."

Buffy took it and waved it. Red and gold sparks shot from the wand.

The girl frowned. "Died-twice Slayer? How did the hair...?"

"A vampire brought it to me. Said that the died-twice Slayer would need a wand. I had a feeling you would be Mr Potter's twin. He's had more lives than a cat." Ollivander smiled.

Buffy frowned, pondering the vampire who brought it. Never mind, she could figure that out later.

"Now you, yes, Dawn, the Key." Ollivander mused.

Instantly they all stared at him. "How did you know that?" Harry asked, his voice steely.

Buffy sniffed again. "He isn't fully human." She glared. "Part-demon."

"Yes, my dear. How else could I identify the appropriate wands for everyone? I have Frayan blood. They are demons of sight. Not evil, I assure you. Also very long-lived. I assure you, Miss Potter. I'm not evil." Ollivander told her. "Now, for the younger Miss Potter, a pure wand... Yes, juniper with unicorn hair, nine inches."

"Juniper?" Buffy asked.

"Native to Britain. Berries are used for flavouring. Also for making gin." Harry told her.

The girls stared. Hermione grinned.

"Potions means you learn a lot about ingredients. Harry just tends to remember the cooking and alcoholic ones." Hermione clarified.

"What can I say? I like my food." Harry smiled, his sisters staring at him.

Dawn snapped out of it first. "You shocked Buffy. That's unusual."

"And rare." Harry smirked.

Buffy just frowned. "I can understand why you and Xander might get along."

"C'mon, girls. I need to fill up on some potions ingredients. And I need a couple of new books. You need copies of all the books. And some robes and a cauldron or two would be good."

"We've got cauldrons. And loads of books. In that big house." Buffy explained.

Harry frowned. "Yes, that house has something odd about it, definitely. Have to look into that."

The girls dragged Harry into the robe shop, spending what seemed like forever to Harry selecting various robes, including plain black ones for Dawn for school.

Finally, they entered the Magical Menagerie for an owl for Dawn.

Harry felt something hit his head from behind. "What the...?" He stumbled. His hands reached off, far softer than Ron's when Crookshanks launched himself at him, and pulled off a cat.

Not just any cat. This was a cat with fur of deep red, like the Weasleys' hair, and it had large green eyes. Eyes identical to Harry, Buffy and Dawn's.

"Holy mother of Merlin." Harry breathed, nearly dropping the creature. She was beautiful, very delicate. "Oh, you're lovely."

Hermione smiled, looking at the cat. "Wow, Harry, she's beautiful."

"I know. I've got to get her." Harry strode up to the counter. "How much?" He asked.

"You want this one?" The shop owner looked surprised.

"Yes, why?"

"She's been in here for years. Ever since... Why, ever since Voldemort disappeared first time, Mr Potter. Hallowe'en. No one's ever wanted her."

"I do." Harry told him firmly, meanwhile frowning. _'Fifteen years,'_ he mused, _'But, that can't mean... No, of course not.'_

Dawn selected an owl. A white snowy owl, like Hedwig, named Aurora.

"Very pretty." Harry approved.

They continued shopping, picking up things they needed, or wanted. Buffy found a wonderful book on magical creatures that she bought for Giles. He'd love it.

It wasn't long before they arrived back at Grimmauld Place.

"Is everyone here?" Harry asked.

"Everyone who?" Ginny asked.

"On the doors."

"Oh, Willow and Giles went back. Neville said he'll meet us there. Said he knew where it was." Ginny answered.

"Great." Buffy grinned. "Follow me then, and try not to look too obviously magical."

She was looking at Dumbledore and Minerva as she said it. They laughed, and an incantation later, were wearing surprisingly normal-looking Muggle clothing.

Ginny, Minerva, Remus and Dumbledore followed Buffy, Dawn, Harry and Hermione as they led the way. Half an hour later, they arrived.

It was Xander who first saw them.

"Hey, Buff, Dawn... Whoa, what's with the owl?" He asked.

"She's called Aurora, isn't she gorgeous?" Dawn asked.

"Lovely, but why...?"

"Oh, I'm a witch. So's Buffy. Wand witches, that is. We even got wands."

"And these people are?" Xander looked at the others.

"Well, Harry you know. That's Hermione, who just happens to be his soulmate, Remus Lupin, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall and Ginevra Weasley." Buffy explained. "Come through into the Conference Room, guys."

"Isn't there one missing? Where's, uh, Neville?" Xander racked his brain for the other one.

"Probably still at the Ministry interviewing the bastard." Hermione spat bitterly.

"What?"

"Hermione's ex-boyfriend attacked her last night when she informed him she wanted to end it. He used the Cruciatus Curse upon her, an Unforgivable Curse that causes intense pain more excruciating than most can imagine, and attempted to rape her." Harry answered in monotone.

Xander looked taken aback. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"No need. Wasn't your fault, was it?" Hermione answered.

Buffy pushed a button to call the others.

Faith entered. "Hey, B, care to tell us why you 'n' Dawnie have got a new name?"

"And why Hermione Granger has moved in with Harry Potter?" Robin asked.

"Oh, we don't need to know that." Faith swatted him. "Someone obviously got lucky last night." She grinned wolfishly.

"You have a one-track mind, Faith." Buffy observed.

The others soon appeared.

"Hey, Buffy, nice day?" Willow asked.

"Yeah, good." Buffy grinned.

"Dear me, is that an owl?" Giles asked.

"Yeah, Aurora."

"So you're Dumbledore-guy?" Xander asked.

"Yes."

"So why've you got new names then, Buff?" Faith asked.

Buffy poured out the story.

"You're a witch? And Joyce wasn't your mom?" Willow asked.

"Sure as hell explains some stuff about my dad. Hank, rather." Buffy shrugged.

There was a sudden yowling.

"Oh, dear, I meant to let her out before this!" Harry gasped, jumping up and opening a cage.

Out sprang the beautiful young cat.

"Wow, she's gorgeous!" Willow exclaimed.

"What're you calling her, bro?" Buffy asked.

"Well, _sis_, I was thinking of calling her..."

"Lily?" Remus asked aghast.

"What? How did you guess, Moony?" Harry asked.

"No. Harry, that's Lily, her animagus form." Remus told him.

"What?" Harry demanded. "Mum wasn't an animagus! Someone would have told me! She can't be..." His voice trailed off as the cat on the table grew in size.

"Well, thanks for letting the cat out of the bag, Remus!" A petite redhead stated, annoyed.

Harry gasped. "Mum?"

A/N: Oh, evil cliffy! Couldn't help it. Of course, now I've actually got to explain this, and I can't remember exactly what I had planned!

Anyway, thanks for reviewing.

Lol, Tanydwr


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